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Video: Wilbert Behn in his Homemade Arena (1991)

We first visited Behn's Game Farm in 1991, and shot this 8mm video. We recorded a bit of the goats and the dog show, but the big performance happened in the indoor "Arena." That's where self-taught lion tamer Wilbert Behn would warm up his audience with his fire-eating, and then bring out his lions and tigers, one by one.

Video Transcript

Wilbert Behn in his Homemade Arena (1991)

Behn: I gotta be real careful, because of what I do.

When I start that music, then whichever door I open up, that cat comes out.

[lights torch]

Now please do not go home and try to duplicate this in any way, shape or form. It's extremely dangerous.

Watch carefully. First, a little breakfast.

They say the fingertips are the most sensitive part of the human body, no, it's a tongue.